Summer Nanny writes:

Once your toddler begins approaching the age when he can go to school, many parents begin to worry that their child is not actually ready to go to kindergarten.  There are several aspects of readiness, including emotional, skills and desire.  Many schools have started to test kids when they register for kindergarten to make sure they are ready.  If your child is the right age, then you can send him to school, though some teachers are concerned about how successful the child will be once they get into school.  These 25 blogs will give you the tools you need to make sure your child is ready when the time comes.

Readiness Checklists

Everyone needs a place to start when it comes to deciding if your child is ready for school or not, and a checklist can be a useful tool when trying to determine your child’s level of readiness.  These checklists include everyday tasks, like tying your shoes, as well as emotional hurdles, like separation anxiety.  The following five checklists will have differences, so it might be a good idea to check them all out before deciding which one might be right for you and your child.

• A Kindergarten Readiness Checklist
• Kindergarten Readiness Checklist
• 4 Signs of Kindergarten Readiness
• Kindergarten Readiness Checklist
• Kindergarten Readiness: How to Know

Skills

If you are not around a lot of children that are the same age as yours, you might wonder how he compares to his peers when it comes to his skill sets.  You may think that he’s behind because he doesn’t know how to read, but you could be surprised to find out that many of the other kids can’t read yet either.  The next five blog posts will help you determine which skills your child needs to have to succeed in school.

• The Basic Skills of Kindergarten
• 10 Skills to Teach Your Toddler before Kindergarten
• Closing Achievement Gap for Students Begins Before Kindergarten
• Social Skills Before Kindergarten
• What My Child Should Know Before Kindergarten

Helpful Internet Sites

Often it’s a good idea to switch things up every once in a while to keep learning interesting.  These websites can be helpful in teaching your child everything from letter recognition to beginning reading skills.  Check out these five blog articles to determine the right sites for your child.

• The Best 5 Websites for Preschool Readiness
• Find Preschool Worksheets Online
• Preschool Kids Games, Preschool Activities & Lesson Plans
• Free Online Games and Activities for Preschool Age Children
• PBS Gears Site to Preschool Children

Reading

Libraries recommend reading 1000 books to your child before they start attending school. While reading 1000 books can seem like a daunting task, if you begin reading to your child shortly after he is born then it won’t seem like such a large hurdle to overcome.  If you’ve gotten a late start, there are some blogs that suggest a shorter list of titles you might want to read, some of which you may already have in your collection.  Take a look at these suggested reading lists and try to incorporate some of them into your own library.

• Finding Great Books for Your Kids and Preschool Education Time
• Practice Unhurried Reading for Preschoolers and Kindergarteners
• Great Books to Read In the First Week of Kindergarten
• 100 Books to Read Before Kindergarten
• 25 Books to Read Before Kindergarten

Parent Involvement

Many children do not attend preschool because they have a parent or family member who stays home with them.  In this situation, the teaching responsibilities fall to the caregiver instead of a preschool teacher.  There’s no wrong or right, it’s just different.  As a parent you should make sure that someone is teaching your child the skills they will need in school.  The following five blog entries will help you figure out your role and what you can do to help your child be prepared for school.

• Kindergarten Readiness: Parent Strategy for Best Results
• The Parent Role in a Child’s Education
• Let’s Get Ready for Kindergarten
• Ways to Get Your Child Ready for Kindergarten
• Ten Things Your Child Can Do at Home with Magnetic

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